USA > Ohio > Stark County > Canton > History of the First Reformed Church, Canton, Ohio > Part 12
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EARLY LIFE AND LABORS OF REV. JOHN B. RUST
and money was scarce. Thus at great personal sacrifice and amidst trying conditions, he served his Master by the labor he performed to extend the Kingdom of God. Finally when the congregation in Canton became so large that it taxed all his powers and energy to meet the needs of so many people, he withdrew from the country charges and devoted himself wholly to the Canton field."
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CHAPTER XVIII THE PASTORATE OF REV. J. B. RUST
T HE field into which Rev. J. B. Rust entered in January,
1886 was not strewn with roses. After a congregation has become inured for fifty-three and one-half years to one pastor it has become so thoroughly fixed in its traditions and ideals that a new pastor would find many problems waiting to be solved. Rev. Herbruck had always conducted the affairs of the congregation in a manner rather independent of the judicatories of the church; while the new pastor was zealous for "the principles of good order, and the provisions of the constitution of the Reformed Church."
Four things stand out most prominently in this pastorate of nearly four years :
First. A roll of the members was made and put on record for the first time. The nominal members of the congregation were scattered all over Stark County. Multitudes claimed to be members who never attended a service or contributed any- thing to the support of the church. Hundreds communed at Easter-time who were never seen again until the next Easter. Rev. Herbruck had kept no written church-roll. It had been his custom to carry the roll in his memory. The last report which he made to Classis mentioned 600 members. This figure did not stand for individuals who could be relied upon, but rather represented an estimate of the number who claimed to be members. The first task to which the new pastor and the consistory addressed themselves was the drawing up of a writ- ten roll. "The names and addresses of all the members of the congregation, individuals, and families, parents and children, were secured and duly registered in a church-book, or record." Unfortunately many who had long before forfeited every claim to membership, when approached, blithely said: Why, sure, we are members of the First Reformed Church. During the sub-
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INTERIOR OF THIRD CHURCH BUILDING After remodeling and placing organ in front of church duriny Dr. Rust's pastorate The church is decorated for Harvest Home services
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THE PASTORATE OF REV. J. B. RUST
sequent years many of the "dead branches" who had thus got on the roll had to be lopped off.
Secondly. English was introduced. Rev. Rust had re- fused to consider a call to Canton unless English should be introduced. "The members of the consistory at once, and most enthusiastically confessed to him the absolute need of both Ger- man and English preaching in their church." For half a century the First Reformed Church had been a feeder for the other churches of Canton, and for fifteen years, scores had been obliged to transfer to Trinity Reformed Church on account of the language. The new pastor soon introduced English even- ing services. "This forward step was taken without friction or misgiving, because all the members of the congregation fully realized the need of it in order that the young people, who pre- ferred the English, might be given a more potent reason to show their continued loyalty to the church."
Thirdly. An advanced temperance position was taken. The traditions and habits of a considerable portion of the mem- bership were decidedly "wet." The innocuous nature of the temperance resolutions which had sometimes been passed by the consistory is demonstrated by the fact that the church har- bored a score of saloon-keepers as members. The "wet breth- ren" vociferously declared themselves in favor of "temperance according to the Scriptures." This phrase was interpreted as meaning full liberty to drink spirituous liquor when not car- ried to gross excess. Rev. Rust broke a brave lance with this "bunch" as he describes later in this chapter. His courageous stand aroused tremendous opposition, but by faithful reasoning from the Scriptures, he "allayed the storm, silenced the objec- tors, converted blind and angry opposition into sense and rea- son, and ushered in the dawn of a better era in the congrega- tion in relation to consistent Christian conduct."
Fourthly. The church property was improved. An addi- tion was built on the north side of the church, so that the organ which had been in the gallery for a quarter of a century could be placed in front of the audience. The instrument was also impoved. The alterations cost more than $3000.
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The detailed narrative of these events will now be given in Rev. Rust's own words :
"Rev. John B. Rust succeeded Rev. Herbruck in the au- tumn of 1885, in response to the united action of the congre- gation, and the fraternal endorsement of the aged pastor. Father Herbruck, when this change came, had served the con- gregation for fifty-three years and six months. Very few pas- tors thus far in the history of Ohio have enjoyed so unusual a blessing and experienced so great an honor. In view of this fact it proved to be a difficult undertaking, both for the new pastor and for the church, to take up duties, responsibilities and burdens which had been fulfilled and borne with unfailing constancy for so many years by Father Herbruck, trained to the task by ripe experience. During his term of service, Fath- er Herbruck baptized, confirmed, and married thousands of persons, and thus in the course of time gathered around him one of the largest congregations in the German wing of the Reformed Church west of the Allegheny Mountains. But the record of all this work was incomplete. At least the incom- ing pastor could not find any data to help him. During the Easter services, for example, people came to the church to receive Holy Communion, who claimed to belong to the con- gregation, and yet were seldom or never seen in the church at any other time. They had the idea that if they 'made their Easter' their obligation to God and His Church was discharged, and the faithful few could attend to the balance. Therefore the new pastor and the consistory inaugurated a plan by which the names and addresses of all the members of the congrega- tion, individuals and families, parents and children, were se- cured and duly registered in a church-book, or record, pur- chased for the purpose. The congregation was not 'reorg- anized' as some supposed, but simply placed upon record as completely as possible, in obedience to the principle of good order and the provisions of the Constitution of the Reformed Church.
"Near the beginning of the new pastorate an improvement was made in the church edifice by the erection of a suitable
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THE PASTORATE OF REV. J. B. RUST
extension at the rear of the auditorium for the pipe-organ, and to accommodate the choir back of the pulpit platform, which was enlarged and built further out into the body of the church, to overcome an unfortunate and trouble-some echo. An organ- tuner from Pittsburgh had charge of the work of removing the organ from the choir-loft to the new place provided for it. The improvement cost the congregation somewhat over three thousand dollars.
"A little while before this alteration was made, on a dark and dreary Sunday, a young man, who was closely allied with several Swiss singing societies, especially the Grütli Verein, and who had frequently taken part, with his fine tenor voice, in the singing of the choir, came to the altar-railing immediately after the close of the service and asked for an interview with the pastor. At the conference after dinner in the pastor's study the man expressed an earnest desire to prepare for the Gospel ministry. He had entertained the desire for a number of years, but the opportunity to realize it had never been pre- sented to him. He had taught school in the old country, and officiated at funerals. He was a sculptor by trade. He be- longed to an excellent Swiss family. His avocation, however, at that time was not in keeping with his call to the ministry. He promised to give up all and follow Christ. He entered Calvin College in Cleveland, and when that school was by syn- odic action forbidden to teach theology, he moved to Tiffin with his family, and entered the Heidelberg Theological Sem- inary. He carried with him most excellent grades in scholar- ship, both in German and French, won in the schools of Swit- zerland. His father became an elder in the Second Reformed Church in Tiffin, and loyally supported the cause of Christ in the community. He was a skillful wood-carver, and made all the emblems for the new church when the present house of worship was built. The son, after having served the Reformed Church in two German-English parishes, in one of which, Berne, Indiana, he built a beautiful church, was called to the superintendency of the Orphans' Home in Ft. Wayne, and with the help of his noble companion, his wife, managed the affairs
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FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, CANTON, O.
of that institution with eminent and unusual success for many years. The two oldest daughters married ministers, and the youngest of them, a graduate of Heidelberg University, is the wife of a teacher by profession. One of the sons, also a grad- uate of Heidelberg University, and of the Central Theological Seminary in Dayton, is at present a successful pastor in Ohio. It was worth while going to Canton to find the Rev. Berchtold Ruf and his family.
"During the earlier part of the pastorate of Rev. J. B. Rust, prominent members of the "Law and Order League" called to see him and invited him to speak at one of their early spring meetings in the City Hall in defense of Sabbath observ- ance in the summer months. The travel to Meyer's and Con- gress Lakes seriously affected church attendance and interrupt- ed the growth of true Christian life in Canton. He counselled with his friend and neighbor, Mr. George Deuble, the organist of the church, and a son-in-law of Father Herbruck, who ad- vised the minister to attend the meeting, but admonished him to be prudent. The address before the "Law and Order League," in which the open Sunday saloon was named as one of the chief causes of Sabbath desecration, aroused great excitement and animosity in the congregation, with which about twenty saloon-keepers were connected. A spy who had been present at the Law and Order meeting, in his enthusiastic attachment to the cause of "personal liberty," exaggerated the conservative attitude, at that juncture, of the Reformed pastor, who ere long discovered that the Prohibitionists in the League were also displeased with him, because he had not been radical enough for them in denouncing the liquor traffic. Mr. T .- , a member of the consistory at that time, probably by uninten- tional misrepresentation, called forth a storm of protest in the congregation, and made a rather drastic word-attack upon the pastor himself. The women of the church, however, loyally supported the minister and justified and defended his action. Two weeks later he preached a sermon on law and order, and in honor of the Lord's Day, to a congregation that filled every available seat in the church and numbered not less than nine
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THE PASTORATE OF REV. J. B. RUST
hundred or a thousand people. The courageous presentation of the truth, on the basis of Holy Scripture, allayed the storm, silenced the objectors, converted blind and angry opposition into sense and reason, and ushered in the dawn of a better era in the congregation in relation to consistent Christian conduct. Like the Battle of Blenheim: 'It was a famous victory.'
"Religious service in the English language on every Sun- day evening was introduced without delay soon after the open- ing of the new pastorate. This forward step was taken with- out friction or misgiving, because all the members of the con- gregation fully realized the need of it in order that the young people, who preferred the English, might be given a more potent reason to show their continued loyalty to the church.
"The temporary impairment of his health, which made it impossible for him to attend properly to the duties of so large a congregation, numbering seven hundred and fifty (750) com- municants at that time, and about four hundred (400) pupils and teachers in the Sunday school, led the pastor, Rev. J. B. Rust, to hand in his resignation on July 14, 1889, with heart- felt regret. This important step was unavoidable in the Prov- idence of God. In the month of September, 1889, he quietly withdrew from the field, and for one whole year retired from active parish work and responsibility, until, called to the Re- formed Church in New Philadelphia in the Autumn of 1890, as the successor of the late Rev. O. J. Accola, D.D. This closes the account, in the main, of the transitional pastorate of the Rev. J. B. Rust, Ph.D., in Canton, Ohio, the third pastor in the history of Jerusalem's Reformed Congregation."
Rev. Rust remained in New Philadelphia eight years. Dur- ing that time the congregation erected a beautiful and spacious church which is a credit both to the congregation and the com- munity.
After a further brief pastorate of one and one-half years of the Robertsville charge, Rev. Rust resigned, and removed to Tiffin in 1899 where he has lived ever since. During this period he has served the Bascom charge in Seneca County for
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FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, CANTON, O.
nine years, and then became "delegated pastor" of the Findlay congregation.
Dr. Rust has been a frequent contributor on historical and theological subjects to the "Christian World," the "Reformed Church Messenger," and the "Reformed Church Review." He is the author of a three-hundred and fifty page book entitled "Modernism and the Reformation," published in 1914, and "The Life and Labors of Dr. Herman Rust," published in 1916. He has also delivered series of lectures in Heidelberg College on "Comparative Religion" and "The History of Music."
As pastor of the Canton charge, Rev. Rust was confronted by a series of difficult and ugly questions and problems which were handled with peculiar ability and fearlessness. His name is held in grateful remembrance by a large number of members who are still faithful adherents of the Canton Reformed Church.
REV. FREDERICK STRASSNER, D. D.
MRS. F. STRASSNER
CHAPTER XIX THE LIFE AND PASTORATE OF REV. FREDERICK STRASSNER, D.D.
S IX weeks after the close of Rev. Rust's pastorate, the con- gregation extended a call to Rev. Frederick Strassner, D.D., then serving the Christ Reformed Church in Orrville. A salary of $1000 a year was promised him, but as the parsonage had not yet been erected, the pastor had also to pay the rent out of this.
On January 1, 1890, the new minister was installed. He was a man ripe in experience and service, who could look back upon more than thirty years of successful pastoral activity. Before presenting the chief events of his Canton pastorate, a brief sketch of his previous life and work will be given. A few years before his death, Dr. Strassner wrote a rather full ac- count of his early life, intended for his children. This account was placed at the disposal of the writer, and will be freely used. The facts and quotations that follow are all taken from this narrative.
Rev. Frederick Strassner was born on February 22, 1831, in the city of Bremen in Germany, of pious Reformed ancestry.
He was the thirteenth child in a family of fifteen. Of his mother he declared, "She was always happy. The prayers she taught us children were not in vain. Well do I remember them yet, they were the means of leading me nearer to God." He attended the parochial school of his native city, was confirmed at the age of fourteen, and became an apprentice to a fresco painter.
When seventeen years of age a severe attack of ague which would not yield to medical application, took hold of him. A change of climate was recommended. A married sister and brother had emigrated to America and urged the parents to send him too. Accordingly in 1848, he started for America in a sailing vessel, as all the friends and relatives agreed that this
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was much safer than taking a steamship, because only so could he "avoid the danger of fire on the ocean."
The English vessel on which he embarked required sixty days to make the trip to New Orleans, and young Strassner being an apt student, spent much of his time in acquiring a working knowledge of English. One of the ship's crew, an Irishman, took much interest in the youth and acted as his teacher. The consequence was that his early English had a very decided Irish brogue.
His fellow passengers "were mostly fugitives who had participated in the revolution of 1848 and were happy to have escaped the clutches of the German government. They gave vent to their joy by singing and dancing." The journey was uneventful with the exception of a near-tragedy; for one day "the vessel ran between two great rocks hidden from the sur- face. The shock and grinding noise were very perceptible. There was a great commotion and the faces were blanched. Prayer books were in great demand and the knees were bent." However, the boat got off safely, having sustained but slight injury, and favored by calm weather the journey continued to its destination. After their fright, however, "there was no more dancing or foolish talking and jesting, and all were anx- ious to land on solid ground." After landing at New Orleans a further journey of six days up the Mississippi River was required to reach St. Louis, where his sister lived.
The next years were spent in working at the carpenter's trade and acquiring a better knowledge of English. From St. Louis, young Strassner then went to Cincinnati and there, to his great joy, found a little Reformed mission whose pastor was Rev. Herman Rust, who influenced young Strassner to give himself to the work of the ministry. Rev. Herman Rust was the father of the Rev'd J. B. Rust, who later became suc- cessor to Rev. Herbruck as pastor of the Canton church. Of his experiences in Cincinnati, Rev. Strassner says, "I had now found a church-home and entered heart and soul into spiritual labor. Later I was overcome by the Holy Spirit and my con- viction was plain that I must enter the ministry. My mind
LIFE AND PASTORATE OF REV. F. STRASSNER, D.D. 141
was so much engaged in this new revelation that I was hin- dered in my daily occupation."
He yielded to this revelation and determined to prepare for the ministry. Largely by his own efforts he worked his way through Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, Pa., and later entered the theological seminary at Mercersburg, Pa .* While studying at Mercersburg he also acted as assistant to Rev. Geo. Wolff, D.D., pastor of the Paradise charge. One experience during this time made a deep impression upon the young theological student, for he describes it in full: "Dr. Wolff asked me one day to ride his big black horse, a frisky animal. I had no experience with horses; but took my first lesson. A woman with a big clothes basket was met on the road, and the horse would not pass. In the struggle, the saddle turned and I hung on the side, holding the reins while the horse was running full speed. So I jumped in front of the horse to stop him. He jumped over me, taking off part of my coat-tail. In due time, however, I returned the horse."
After completing his course of study at Mercersburg, he was licensed by Susquehanna Classis in 1859, and immediately began missionary work in Lucern County. From Wilkes- Barre as a center he served a number of congregations in the famous Wyoming Valley .; Five years were spent with much success in this pioneer work. At first the young theologue attempted to cook his own meals or "board around." This proved thoroughly unsatisfactory, and he decided to found a home of his own. His heart had already chosen, but his cour- age was small. "Then I appealed to her pastor. The answer was favorable." A most happy marriage speedily followed.
After leaving Wilkes-Barre, Rev. Strassner served the following charges in Ohio: Berwick, three years; Lancaster, two years; Union charge near Lancaster, three years; Orr-
* Mercersburg Theological Seminary was removed to Lancaster, Pa., in 1871 and is now known as the Lancaster or Eastern Theological Seminary.
t Wilkes-Barre was also the first field of labor of Rev. Theodore P. Bolliger, who spent nearly five years there.
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ville, eighteen years; Canton, First Church, six years; Canton, Grace Church, ten years.
During the six years' pastorate of Rev. Strassner, the First Church made a number of very decided advances.
The first work undertaken was the building of a parson- age. The Strassner family moved from Orrville in March, and on April 25 ground was broken for the parsonage. The building committee consisted of Rev. Strassner, Jacob Schwin- gle and John Class. The contract was let for $1939. The congregation raised by subscriptions $480, the Ladies' Aid So- ciety promised $100, in addition, and $1500 had to be borrowed. The house was ready for occupancy by the end of September. The entire cost of the building including levelling off of the ground, walks, sewer, etc., was $2002.
The second important work was the revising of the roll of members. As has been stated in previous chapters it had been the custom of Father Herbruck to carry the church-roll around "in his head"; but this was of no help to his successor. Rev. Rust aided by the consistory at once began the task of putting those who claimed membership on record. So many of these nominal members refused to perform the most elemen- tary duties of church members, that the work of sifting the chaff from the wheat had to be faithfully taken up. This work had already begun under Rev. Rust, and was carried to com- pletion by Rev. Strassner. Fifteen months after his pastorate began, the number had been reduced from 743 nominal mem- bers to 436 actual members. From these statistics it would appear that the sifting out process was vigorously and zealous- ly carried through.
Third. A Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was organized June 1, 1890. This was one of the earliest so- cieties in the Reformed Church in Ohio. It gave invaluable training to a host of the young people of the church, and has aided in developing some of the most active workers that the congregation has had. In 1894, a Junior Society was also organized and gathered in about sixty of the Juniors. The organization of these societies so long ago by Rev. Strassner
LIFE AND PASTORATE OF REV. F. STRASSNER, D.D. 143
speaks very highly for his spiritual vision and understanding of the needs of the young people under his pastoral care.
Fourth. The Reformed Church Hymnal was introduced in 1893, and was ordered to be used in all the worship of the congregation. The Hymnal superseded various collections of Gospel songs and ditties that had been in use at the English services.
Fifth. The work of the consistory was made more effec- tive by the organization of committees to which were entrusted specific phases of congregational activities. The principal committees created under this plan were: Membership, Sick and Charity, Music, Sunday School, Prayer Meeting, Offer- ings, and Ushers.
The death of Mrs. M. A. Behmer, which occurred on Eas- ter morning, April 14, 1895, should also be recorded as one of the noteworthy events of Rev. Strassner's pastorate; for this aged mother in Israel, whose life was full of faith and good works, is the only member of the congregation who has ever left a legacy of which the church was the beneficiary. She gave $1975 to the local church and $2000 to various institutions and benevolences of the denomination. May her noble exam- ple stimulate to imitation !
The last year of Rev. Strassner's pastorate was filled with trying experiences. A certain portion of the congregation was becoming dissatisfied and did not hide their sentiments ; sever- al members elected into the consistory refused to serve; many requests to be dismissed to the Trinity Reformed Church were made. The consistory and pastor both finally realized that a continued successful ministry was not to be expected, and therefore they accepted the pastor's resignation on January 5, 1896. Rev. Strassner continued his labors until after Easter of that year so that the youth under instructions might yet be confirmed. The pastorate terminated on May 1.
In spite of this troubled ending, Rev. Strassner's pastor- ate as a whole must be accounted as largely blessed and suc- cessful. Two hundred and nineteen members were added to the Church by confirmation alone. The Sunday School enroll-
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ment increased from 300 to 480. The gifts for benevolence grew from an annual average of $107 during the previous pas- torate to an average of $197, not counting the large individual gift of Mrs. Behmer in figuring this average but only the nor- mal congregational offerings. The average annual contribu- tions for congregational purposes increased from $1536 to $2559. One of the reasons alleged for dissatisfaction with the pastor was that he preached too many "financial sermons," and urged the "grace of giving" too insistently. A comparison of the number of members with their gifts will prove that only heroic methods could possibly have answered. The marked musical ability of Rev. Strassner's sons and daughters, which was freely contributed, also added in no small degree to the success of the pastorate.
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